Where You're Supposed to Be
by The Little Monster 1024
Summary: There was a time when she'd loved him, a time when she'd been so in love that she was willing to overlook everything. There was a time when the fact that he was her husband, the father of her children- there was a time when that meant something to her.
1. 1986

**Where You're Supposed to Be**

 **AN** : This will probably be about three chapters or so. A look at the relationship of Sharon and Jack, when it started to spiral. I'm making up the dates, since we don't really have definite ages for everyone. This chapter takes place in 1986, with Jack and Sharon about 30, Emily 4, and Ricky a year.

 **Chapter One  
1986**

* * *

 _"I know you don't mean to be mean to me,  
'cuz when you want to you can make me feel like we belong."_

* * *

"Jesus Christ, Sharon!" He yelled at her, his face growing redder by the second. He wobbled a little in his spot, the stench of alcohol strong on his body.

"Jack, the kids are asleep!" She hissed, her fists clenched as she tried her hardest not to scream back. "Not that you care, right? If you did, this" her hand rose, gesturing to his drunken form. "wouldn't have happened."

"Oh, of course! The ice queen with a cheap shot!"

She rolled her eyes. "It doesn't matter what you think. It's true. If you cared about our kids as much as you claim to, you wouldn't be out getting drunk every single night!"

"What the hell do you expect me to do, Sharon, when the sound of your voice is like tiny little knives stabbing my skull!"

She folded her arms across her chest. "Don't turn this around on me."

"Oh, no, this is about you! If you were a little more pleasant and didn't push me away every d-"

"Push you away?" She interrupted. "You try working the hours I do and then coming home and having to take care of the kids because-"

"And I'm the one that doesn't care about the kids? You're the one that bitches about them every damn day!"

At that comment, her mouth dropped open. She could feel the anger rising up in her as she took a careful step toward him. "I love our children, Jack." Her voice was low as she spoke. "I'm not complaining about them. I'm complaining about their _useless_ father."

Her words stung, she knew that; that was the point.

He stepped closer to her angrily. Without her shoes, he had more than a couple inches on her. He was larger too, much stronger, but she didn't waver, didn't back down. She stood her ground, her eyes not leaving his before he took a step back.

"I don't have to take this from you." He growled, grabbing his coat. He searched for his keys, unaware that Sharon had swiped them the moment he got home intoxicated. He eventually gave up and grabbed his wallet. "I'll get a damn cab."

He turned and walked out the door, not looking back at her. He slammed the door shut as hard as he could, knowing full well that it would wake the kids.

Sure enough, it wasn't thirty seconds before she heard Ricky crying from upstairs.

She tucked her hair back behind her ear with a shaking hand before she reached out and locked the front door. With that, she turned and made her way up the stairs.

* * *

She missed him.

After he'd been gone for over a day and her anger has dissolved into worry, she thought about their fight. Although she definitely stood by her argument that he did not need to be drinking as much, she understood where she was at fault too.

She shouldn't have questioned his love for their children. She knew how much he loved them; he was right, it had been a cheap shot.

She wasn't going to let him completely pin his drinking on her, but she could agree that she wasn't always the easiest to get along with, especially after working a long shift.

They were both at fault, she knew that now.

Their bed was too large without him. She missed his warmth beside her. She missed waking him up in the mornings before she left for work, missed coming home to him watching a movie with their children, because it never failed that he got off work before her- that was until he got up and left for the bar.

She sighed a little to herself.

They had a lot they needed to work on, but she missed him. Their children missed him. Emily asked about him every day, wondering why she had to spend more time in day care than usual. She didn't like it. She wanted Daddy to pick her up and take her home.

Explaining to her four year old that she didn't know when Daddy would be back was the hardest part. Ricky was young enough that he didn't notice all that much, but Emily? There was a sadness that loomed over her everyday and it broke her mother's heart.

* * *

He'd been gone for three months, the first of which she spent worrying that something horrible had happened to him. She couldn't find him anywhere, couldn't get a hold of him. She'd called his boss; only to find out he hadn't showed up in weeks and would consequently be terminated.

It wasn't until she'd contacted Jack's brother that she knew that he was alive. He was staying with various family members. And judging by the amount of money that was disappearing from their account regularly, he was drinking too.

She couldn't help but feel a little guilty.

If they hadn't had that fight, the one that she'd picked when he got home from the bar, he wouldn't have left. A part of her knew that it wasn't her fault, but that didn't mean the guilt was any less.

The best that she could do, since Jack's brother wouldn't give up his whereabouts, was to hope he'd pass her messages along, that he'd tell Jack that he was still wanted at home.

A few nights later, she was lying in bed. She'd put the kids to bed hours before and was just then finding it in her to slowly begin drifting to sleep. She was almost asleep when she heard the noises coming from downstairs.

She sat up quickly in bed, bypassing her robe and slippers. When she heard someone fiddling with the doorknob, turning it and trying to get in, she rushed to the closet. She unlocked the safe and pulled her weapon from inside.

With her gun loaded, she made her way down the hallway, pulling both Emily and Ricky's bedroom doors shut as she went. She crept down the stairs silently. As she approached the door, the doorknob kept turning and then there was a knock.

"Sharon?"

 _Jack_.

She let her arm fall to her side, letting out a breath in relief. She sat her gun aside on the table before stepping forward to unlock the door. When she pulled the door open, she was met with the face of her husband, smiling sheepishly at her with a bouquet of flowers in his hands- white roses, her favorite.

"Jack, -"

"Wait, Sharon," He interrupted. "Just...let me talk for a minute, okay?"

She gestured for him to step inside, closing the door behind him as he did. She nodded a little to him, telling him to go on.

"I'm so sorry. You were right about the drinking. I was drinking way too much and...and that's over. I haven't had a drink in three months." He said proudly.

She couldn't help but smile. He was trying, he really was. For someone who usually drank every night, three months was...well, amazing. She was proud of him. "That's...great, Jack."

He smiled at her, offering her the roses.

She took them from him, lifting the flowers to her nose and taking a breath of the scent. She looked at him. "Thank you. These are...lovely."

"We should get them into some water."

She nodded a little, turning and making her way toward the kitchen. He followed, watching in silence as she pulled down a vase, filling it with water before placing her flowers inside. She sat the vase in the middle of their kitchen table. She took her time rearranging the flowers until they were sitting perfectly and then turned to look at him.

"I'm sorry." She tucked a strand of hair back behind her ear. "The fight, I picked it and...I should've handled it better."

He took a step closer to her, reaching out to place a hand on her hip, pulling her closer to him. That got him a smile from her. His arm slithered around her waist, pulling her ever closer until she was pressed up against his chest. "Let's not think about it, okay? We both said horrible things that we didn't mean. It's over, its in the past. We can just move forward, okay?"

She nodded a little, smiling up at him. "Next time we fight, we're going to handle it like adults. No more running off for three months." Her arms moved to wrap around his neck. "I was worried sick and the kids missed you."

"I missed you guys too." He said. "I promise, honey. I'm not leaving you or the kids again."

With that being said, he pressed a kiss to her mouth before pulling back and pressing kisses along her. "I _really_ missed you."

She laughed a little, tilting her head a little to indulge him and allow him better access to her neck. His hands moved from around her waist and made their way to the hem of her sleep shirt, slipping underneath, exploring the soft skin of her belly before making their way to her chest.

She pulled back from him, batting his hands away with a smile. When he gave her a look that looked relatively close to a pout, she rolled her eyes and tried to suppress a laugh. "The kids are upstairs and I have to work in the morning."

"Come on, Sharon, I've been gone and I really, _really_ missed you." His voice lowed as he grabbed her hip again.

She considered him for a moment before nodding with a small grin. It was probably a bad thing that she had such a hard time resisting him, especially when he looked at her with those eyes that had always drove her crazy. Besides, she'd _missed him_ too.

She grabbed his hand and tugged him toward the stairs. "Come on, Jack."

* * *

 **Writing a young Sharon that still had so much faith in and loved Jack was really sad. Poor bby Sharon. Let me know what you guys think in the reviews!**


	2. 1989 (Part One)

**Where You're Supposed to Be**

 **AN** : This will probably be about three chapters or so. A look at the relationship of Sharon and Jack, when it started to spiral. I'm making up the dates, since we don't really have definite ages for everyone. This chapter takes place in 1986, with Jack and Sharon about 33, Emily 7, and Ricky 3, almost 4.

 **Chapter Two  
1989 (Part One)**

* * *

She took a deep breath as she stood outside the door, gathering all her strength. She could hear their voices coming from inside. They must've been playing a game of some sort. She could hear Jack laughing, Ricky yelling about something she couldn't quite understand, and Emily trying to boss them around.

"No, Ricky, you're doing it _wrong_." Her daughter said, sounding so completely exasperated with her brother.

She pushed her anger and hurt aside, putting on a smile for her children as she turned her key in the lock and stepped inside the house. She hadn't even had time to sit her purse down before both children were rushing toward her. Jack smiled at her from the couch, but she ignored him, looking down at her daughter.

"Mommy, Ricky won't listen to me!" Emily practically yelled, looking as angry as one could while wearing a pink tutu and Darth Vader slippers.

Ricky pushed past his sister, reaching his arms up toward his mother. He really was getting to big for her to be carrying him around. He was big for his age and it was becoming more and more of a struggle. But after the long day she'd had and the fact that she knew what was coming next would only make it worse, she was willing to indulge him. If she were honest with herself, she needed the cuddle too.

She picked him up, settling the boy on her hip and stepping farther into the house. She ran her fingers through Emily's hair before settling on her chubby cheeks, caressing it with her thumb. "Go easy on him, baby, he's a lot younger than you."

Emily sighed in annoyance, but leaned into her mother's touch. "You're late."

Sharon sighed too, no wonder people called her Emily a mini-Sharon. "I know. I'm sorry. Did Daddy make you dinner and help you with your homework?"

Emily nodded, skipping after her mother as she walked to the kitchen. Jack must've noticed her struggling a little because he spoke up, following them all to the kitchen.

"Might be easier if you took off those heels."

"I think I can handle it, Jack, thank you." Her tone was a little harsh, not harsh enough that the kids would really pick up on it, but Jack would get it. He would know. She wasn't taking her heels off, as silly as it was, she liked the stature they gave her. She liked the way they brought her to Jack's height. She would need that tonight, she was sure.

The kitchen was, of course, a mess. It always was after Jack made dinner. He knew how she liked the kitchen kept, yet every time he cooked he left it looking as if a tornado had just torn through the place. She noticed three beer bottles on the counter too. He'd started drinking again a little over a year ago. He said it wasn't near as much as before, that he had it under control. She believed him for the most part. She didn't mind him drinking every once in a while, she had her wine after the kids were in bed; she didn't mind him having a drink.

What she wasn't okay with was him drinking in front of the children; she didn't want him drinking when he was alone with the kids. The rule applied to her as well. She never drank her wine until the kids were tucked in bed, and even then she never drank more than a glass. It was one of her "rules" that he complained about every so often. It drove her crazy; it wasn't something unreasonable, it was something that would usually be considered common sense. But, of course Jack couldn't see it that way.

The sight of the empty beer bottles only added fuel to the fire burning inside of her. She closed her eyes, facing away from Emily and Jack. She took a deep breath, calming herself down as Ricky laid his head on her shoulder. His hand came up to play with the strands of her hair that hung down inches past her breasts. She'd almost gotten her hair cut numerous times, but didn't have it in her heart to do it when Ricky loved playing with her hair so much, especially when he cuddled up with her for story time before bed.

She turned back toward Emily, smiling. "What did you guys have for dinner?"

"Chicken nuggets and french fries!" Emily said, bouncing up on her toes.

Sharon smiled. "Any vegetables?"

Emily was quiet, she looked over at her father.

Jack shrugged a little. "Forgot about the vegetable. I don't think the kids minded all that much."

"Of course not." She rubbed her hand up and down Ricky's back when she noticed his eyes drifting closed. "I guess we'll have to double up on the vegetables tomorrow night."

Emily wrinkled her nose, pretending to gag at the thought. "Mommy, that's the worst idea _ever_. I might throw up if I eat all those vegetables!"

She chuckled a little. Her daughter, the little performer. "Guess we'll have to see what happens."

Emily groaned, drawing another smile from her mother. Sharon cuddled Ricky a little closer and took one last look around the kitchen, noticing the time as she did. It was only a couple minutes before the kids' bedtime. She hated nights like this, when she got home right as it was time to send the kids off to bed. She hated breaking their schedules, which meant that on nights like these, she got only a few precious moments with them.

"Em, it's bath time." She said.

Emily nodded a little, skipping over to her father to tell him goodnight.

Sharon headed toward the stairs with Emily trailing at her heels. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Jack grab another beer from the fridge. She sighed a little to herself before walking up the stairs. She sent Emily off to the bathroom, her oldest was plenty responsible enough to shower on her own without her mother's help. She was to shower and then get her pajamas on before coming down to get one of them to come tuck her in.

While Emily went off to shower, Sharon carried Ricky into his bedroom. She walked him over to his bed, sitting him down on it before turning toward his dresser. She pulled out his pajamas and then proceeded to help her half asleep little boy get dressed for bed. She laid him down, pulling the blanket up to his chin. Leaning down, she pressed a kiss to his cheek and then his forehead.

"Goodnight, baby. I love you."

"I love you too, mama." He said, smiling up at her.

She smiled back at him, pressing one more kiss to his nose before standing up straight and making her way to his door, flicking his nightlight on on the way. She left the door open just a crack as she left.

She could still hear Emily's shower running, so she decided to step downstairs for a couple minutes and start cleaning up the kitchen. It would clear her mind enough to let her push what she needed to speak to Jack about aside until she was sure the kids were asleep.

Jack was seated at the counter, nursing his, from what she could tell, fourth bottle of the night. She ignored him, slipping out of her blazer, hanging it on the hook by the door before rolling up her sleeves. She reached for some dirty dishes, stacking them before sitting them down into the sink.

"So, what's got you all riled up, Sharon?"

"What?" She looked back at him.

"You're mad about something. You haven't really been too pleasant with me since you got home, so spill it." He wasn't drunk, but he definitely wasn't feeling any pain either.

She rolled her eyes a little, turning back toward the sink. She ran some water, grabbing a sponge and lathering it up with soap. "We'll talk when the kids are asleep."

"I'd rather not spend the next hour dealing with the Ice Queen's cold shoulder."

She gritted her teeth, scrubbing a little harder at the dishes in her hands. "Too bad."

"God forbid we didn't do it your way, huh? I know where Emily gets it." He muttered, taking a large swig of his beer.

She threw the sponge down in the sink and shut the water off angrily, spinning around to face him. "You are...going to have to deal with waiting because I will not let them find out about this."

"Find out about what?

She looked at him for a moment, holding his eye contact. She glared at him, her arms folded over her chest before she saw the wheels in his head beginning to turn. It was only for a second, but his eyes widened a little. He was able to school his features quickly, but not before his eyes told her all she needed to know.

"You know what I'm talking about, Jack." Her tone was low and calmer than he ever would've expected.

"Honey, I don't know what you're talking about."

She rolled her eyes. All that money she'd spent paying for law school, you'd think he'd be a better liar. "How about this? I will finish doing these dishes and then I'll go put Emily to bed. While I am doing that, you can try to come up with a better lie for me to refute."

* * *

She left him gaping at her in the kitchen to go tuck Emily into bed. She took the stairs slowly, trying to get her emotions under control before Emily saw her. Jack more than admitted to it. Before, it was just a theory, just a very likely hunch that she had. Now, it was out there. She knew he was lying, she knew it was true.

And it hurt.

God, it hurt.

She reached the top of the stairs and made her way down the hall to Emily's room. When Sharon pushed the door open, Emily was pulling her nightgown down over her head, her hair still soaking wet and dripping down her back. Sharon sighed, smiling a little. She grabbed the towel from the floor, sitting on the edge of the bed. Emily walked over and giggled when her mother tossed the towel over her head.

Sharon gently ran the towel over her daughter's head, gently soaking up the water from her daughter's hair. When her hair was dry enough, Emily pulled the towel down and peeked up at her mother.

"Mommy, will you braid my hair?"

Sharon smiled. "Of course. Go get your comb."

Emily ran off to the bathroom to retrieve her comb like her mother had asked, leaving the towel to drop to the floor. Sharon scooted back on the bed, making room for Emily to sit in front of her.

Emily came rushing back into the room, climbing up onto the bed and crawling over to sit in front of her mother. Sharon smiled as she took the comb from her as Emily situated herself, folding her legs underneath her body. Sharon began running the comb through her daughter's hair, gently getting rid of all the tangles.

Once she was satisfied with her work against the knots that always formed in her daughter's hair, she sat the comb aside and gathered up Emily's hair in her hands; it was getting so long, almost past the middle of her back.

"Looks like it's about time for a haircut, sweetheart."

"No," Emily practically whined. "I want it to be as long as yours was."

"As long as mine was?" She asked, tilting Emily's head back to begin the braid.

"Grandma showed me. It went all the way down here!" She turned a little to point at Sharon's hip.

Sharon laughed a little. "It's a lot of work, Em. I don't think you'd like it; that's why I cut it." She continued the braid, getting all the way to the end and securing it with a rubber band.

Emily turned her head to look at her mother. "But it was sooo pretty, mommy. I want to be pretty like you."

Sharon leaned forward, cupping her daughter's cheeks and pressing a kiss to her nose. "You're beautiful, baby girl." She murmured. "And it's your hair; if you want to grow it out as long as Rapunzel's, go ahead."

Emily giggled, smiling up at her mother.

Sharon pressed another kiss to her nose before standing from the bed. She helped Emily get settled under the covers before bending down to press a final kiss to her forehead.

"Goodnight." She said softly. "I love you."

"I love you too, mommy."

Sharon smiled, standing up straight. She flicked her daughter's nightlight on and then bent down to grab the wet towel from the floor. She left the room, closing the door behind her. Normally she'd leave it cracked, but she didn't want Emily to hear the argument that was waiting for her downstairs.

She busied herself in the bathroom hanging the towel and cleaning up the mess that Emily had left after her shower.

When that was finished she took a breath, gathering all of her strength.

With her head held high, she started down the stairs.

* * *

 **I'm cutting this chapter in two because of how much I have for this year. The next chapter will be Sharon and Jack's argument and then what happens after. Let me know what you guys think!**


	3. 1989 (Part Two)

**Where You're Supposed to Be**

 **AN** : A look at the relationship of Sharon and Jack, when it started to spiral. I'm making up the dates, since we don't really have definite ages for everyone. This chapter takes place in 1986, with Jack and Sharon about 33, Emily 7, and Ricky 3, almost 4.

 **Chapter Three  
1989 (Part Two)**

* * *

 _"It really sets in, you know, when I see it in stone."_

* * *

When she made it down the stairs, she found him sitting at the kitchen table with a beer in her hand. She rolled her eyes and walked into the kitchen. As she made herself some tea, she tried to calm herself down. She was going to be the mature one, she was going to handle this like an adult. She wasn't going to let her emotions get the best of her.

She was fairly certain it wouldn't be the same with Jack. Even without the alcohol, he was going to react emotionally. He was going to be defensive, was going to fight her on it. He wouldn't want to fess up until she had him completely backed into a corner. Then, he'd either apologize or verbally attack her. She wasn't sure what she'd get tonight. They'd fought before, but this time, it was different. He'd hurt her before, but not like this.

When her tea was finished, she picked the cup up, cradling it to her chest as she walked over toward Jack. She didn't sit, instead deciding to lean against the wall in front of him. She looked at him, her eyes sweeping from his toes to his hair, stopping only briefly to make eye contact with him. She tore her eyes from his after only a second.

God, she still loved him. When she looked at him, no matter how angry she was, she saw the boy she'd fallen in love with during college; she saw the boy who'd brought her flowers on their first date, who had taken her to the movies and wrapped his arms slyly around her shoulders. She saw the man who made her laugh, the one who had made her cry happy tears on her wedding day. But mostly, she saw her children. Ricky looked so much like his father. She couldn't not love the man who had given her the two greatest blessings in her life, much less hate him.

But then, he put her in the situations like she was in today. He did things that hurt her. Aside from their children, he was the only person that could truly rip her to her core and he didn't care. After all she'd stood by him through, after the drinking and leaving her for three months, after this- he didn't care. He never stopped once to think of the way it hurt her.

She knew she wasn't the perfect wife. She knew that, but she tried. She tried so hard to work the long hours she did and still make it home to spend time with her family. She knew she was often distant with him, but she was working on that too, she really was. She was bossy, a control freak- she _knew_ that.

The last time they'd had a large fight was when he left for three months. When he left, she put some of the blame on herself. This time, she wasn't going to let herself feel guilty for what he'd done, what he'd caused. Her bossiness, the distance- neither of those were an excuse. He'd try to use them, she knew that, but she wouldn't let him get to her this time.

She braced herself before schooling her features.

Jack opened his mouth first, sitting his beer down and turning a little to face her completely. "What;s going on, Sharon?" He asked, playing dumb. She wasn't surprised.

"You know what I'm talking about."

"Honey," He stood, grabbing his empty beer bottle and sitting it on the counter. "I can't say I do."

Sharon's jaw clenched as she turned away from him, walking to the front door and retrieving her purse. She reached inside as she approached the table, pulling the evidence bag containing the bright pink bra she'd found on the floor of her husband's car and tossing it onto the table.

She watched Jack's eyes widen a little as he tried to figure out how he was going to approach this, how he was going to talk his way out of it. He must've not been able to come up with something because he looked at her, speaking in a tone that was, to her surprise, laced with a little bit of amusement. "An evidence bag, really?"

She ignored that, folding her arms across her chest. "You're not even going try to explain?"

"Maybe you left-"

She laughed, actually laughed at that. "Jack, don't even try that. You know very well that that is not mine." It wasn't the right size, wasn't the brand or style she liked. And she hadn't worn anything _that_ shade of pink since she was in high school. "Besides, it was in your car and you and I both know that we haven't done anything in that car."

"We don't do anything anywhere." He grumbled.

She scoffed a little, rolling her eyes. "Your wife just found out that you've been cheating and you're going to complain about the lack of sex we've had recently? At this point, you're going to be lucky if I ever let you anywhere near me again." She mentally praised herself for keeping her cool, for not freaking out. When she was like this, when she kept her emotions under control, she had the upper hand. She could thank her job for providing her with that useful tip.

"Not like that would be much different than things are now."

Sure, they hadn't had sex in...three weeks? Yes, they'd always had a pretty active sex life, even with her crazy hours and the kids to take care of. He wasn't the only one who enjoyed it, she did too, but the last two weeks had been exhausting. Work was crazier than usual, causing her to have to stay later than she wanted only to get home with mere moments to spend with her children. After putting the kids to bed, she usually fell asleep too.

So, no, she hadn't been up for sex in a while. But, their marriage was built on more than just sex, or at least that was what she'd thought. He really couldn't go a couple weeks? Was he really going to complain about the job that had paid his way through law school, that paid most of their bills because Jack always had a hard time keeping clients.

"So?" She said. "Just because I've been a little tired lately that means you can run off and find someone else?"

He was quiet.

"Are you going to offer a better explanation? Or at least apologize? I..." She trailed off. She didn't know what to say. She'd expected him to argue, to defend himself, something. He just...didn't seem to care and that was what was throwing her.

"I don't know what you want me to say, Sharon. She came up to me at the bar. We drank and talked for a while and then..." He gestured to the bra lying on the table. "What was I supposed to do?"

"What were you supposed to do?" Her voice got a little louder, she realized it and quieted herself. "You were supposed to be at home with your family. Not at the bar. You're supposed to be sober, or," She waved her hand toward the empty beer bottles on the counter. "did you forget about that?"

Jack sighed a little, he ran his hand down his face before looking at her. "I'm sorry. It only happened once and it won't happen again."

"Kind of like the drinking, huh? It won't happen again?"

"I said I was sorry. What more do you want from me?"

She stood still for a moment, unsure of what to say. She shook her head. "I want you to sleep on the couch, because at this point I don't think I can sleep next to you."

She turned and headed for the stairs. If he didn't see what he did wrong, if he wasn't really sorry, she wasn't going to listen to him. If he honestly thought that because she'd been a little too tired for sex lately, he could go out and cheat on her, she didn't want to listen to what he had to say. She sure as hell didn't want to sleep next to him.

"Sharon..."

She ignored him and kept walking.

* * *

They didn't speak the next morning.

After she had gotten up, she went about her morning routine. She got her shower, got dressed, and then did her hair and makeup. After that was finished, she woke the kids. She got them ready for the day, wrestling them into their clothes and practically bribing them into brushing their teeth,

For some reason, it was a surprise to Ricky every morning that he had to brush his teeth.

Jack was still asleep on the couch when she walked down the stairs with Ricky on her hip and Emily leading the way.

She made breakfast for the three of them, smiling as she watched Emily offer Ricky a part of her banana after he finished his. She picked at her breakfast and sipped at her coffee. Her eyes strayed from her kids toward her husband. He was laying on his back, snoring loudly. He would most definitely be in pain when he woke up; that couch was nowhere near comfortable. She didn't feel bad admitting to herself that she got a fair amount of joy at that thought.

Throughout the night she'd thought about their argument, about what he'd done. Before, she might've forgiven him, might have thought she'd been too hard on him. But this time, she couldn't. She couldn't look past this until...well, she wasn't sure.

She shook her head a little and looked at her watch. She took one last bite of her breakfast before sitting it aside. "Alright guys, shoes and jackets."

Emily hopped down off her chair and carried her plate to the kitchen. Sharon smiled at her as she stepped by her to help Ricky. She sat him on his feet and carried his plate to the kitchen. As the kids ran off to get their shoes, Sharon scrapped their plates and placed them in the sink.

After drying her hands, she walked into the living room to find both kids sitting on the floor. Emily was finishing tying her shoes while Ricky was struggling.

She crouched down in front of him.

"Mama, help!" Ricky asked, kicking his feet at her.

"What do you say?"

He smiled brightly at her. "Please!"

She laughed, tying both of his shoes and then helping him stand.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome, baby." She beamed, reaching out and running her fingers through his unruly hair.

Ricky smiled up at her as she slipped into her heels and then pulled her blazer on. When she turned back to him to help him into his jacket, he raised his arms. "Carry me?"

"You're a big boy, Ricky." She stated, leaning down to zip his jacket for him. When he gave her a little pout, she sighed, lifting him up into his arms.

She pulled her bag over her shoulder and ushered the kids outside, not giving her husband another look.

* * *

She got a call from Emily's school at 2:30- they had Emily sitting in the office; Jack hadn't been there to pick her up. Managing to get away from work for a few moments, she drove to the school to pick up Emily.

Ignoring Emily's questions regarding her father's whereabouts, Sharon drove to Ricky's daycare that would be closing soon. If Jack didn't pick Emily up, she was sure he wouldn't get Ricky either.

Once she had both children, she drove back to work. She set them both up with some snacks and paper to color on in the breakroom and then went back to work. She worked as quickly as she could, wrapping up in a little over an hour.

She gathered up her kids who trailed after her as she led them through the breakroom and down the hall. She ignored the looks she received; other than those on her team, everyone else viewed her as a cold, heartless person. She could only imagine the sight she and her children made.

She ushered them into the elevator, allowing Emily to push the button and holding Ricky's hand when the elevator moved and he startled.

The kids were surprisingly quiet, sensing something was wrong. Their mother was upset and their father hadn't picked them up like he was supposed to. They knew something was up.

She stopped and got dinner from their favorite take-out place and then drove them home.

* * *

When they arrived home, she wasn't surprised to find the house empty.

That night, however, she was.

She noticed their bedroom was a little messier than usual, the closet door left open with some of her shoes thrown out, laying around carelessly. He must've been looking for something.

She huffed a little and knelt down to pick up her shoes, looking inside the closet. She noticed the large empty space in the back where their suitcases were kept. Her breath hitched a little as her eyes drifted to his side of the closet that was now empty.

Tossing her shoes into the closet, she turned and walked over to Jack's dresser only to find it empty too.

She felt her heart clench. She was angry with him. She didn't want him in their bed last night. She wasn't sure how long it would be before she could forgive him for what he'd done.

But she hadn't wanted him to leave.

He promised he wouldn't leave.

Why was she so surprised? He'd broken plenty of promises before.

* * *

As she laid in bed, she couldn't help the tears that managed to escape. She wasn't crying for Jack, wasn't crying because of what he did to her- cheating and then leaving; she was crying because of her children.

How was she supposed to explain this? Emily was older now, not the toddler she'd been the last time that was easy to accept her explanations. And Ricky? He wasn't a baby anymore- about the same age Emily had been the first time Jack left. Her children were older and would know that something was wrong.

They were going to blame themselves, they were going to think their father hated them. They were going to think she hated them, because now they'd both have to spend more time with a babysitter and daycare. There was no way she could afford to take the time off from work to be with them.

The sound her bedroom door opening pulled her from her thoughts; she sat up quickly, wiping at her eyes just as Ricky popped his head inside.

"Ricky?" She murmured softly, her voice still rough from her tears.

He took a step inside, standing on his little toes to get a better look at her. "Mama..."

Her heart clenched; he knew she'd been crying. How had he knows she was upset? "Come here, baby." Her voice soft.

Ricky rushed over to the bed, dragging his teddy bear behind him. Sharon smiled a little, reaching down to pull Ricky and his friend onto the bed and then into her lap, cuddling the boy against her. "What are you doing up so late?"

"Had to go potty." He was whispering, he knew he was supposed to be quiet at night time. "I heard you."

She held him a little closer against his chest, her jaw resting on top of his head. "Did you come to check on me?"

He nodded, cuddling closer to her, his teddy bear clutched in on hand and the other tangled in his mother's shirt.

Sharon closed her eyes for a moment, just holding onto this moment with her son. She kissed the top of his head, brushing his unruly hair back with her hand. "My sweet boy."

They laid down, both cuddling together under the warmth of the blanket. After a while, when she thought Ricky was asleep, she too closed her eyes.

"It's gonna be okay, mama."

She held the boy closer, pressing another kiss to his hair.

Sharon slept soundly after that. She was still worried, still feared for her children's happiness because of what her husband had done, but she didn't feel quiet as hopeless. With her son's word's echoing in her mind, she knew they'd be okay. Even with Jack gone, they would make it work. She would figure things out with work, find a way to be home as often as she could.

She didn't need Jack.

They would be _okay_.

* * *

 **Sorry this took a little longer than I had anticipated!**


	4. 1990

**Where You're Supposed to Be**

 **AN** : A look at the relationship of Sharon and Jack, when it started to spiral. I'm making up the dates, since we don't really have definite ages for everyone. This chapter takes place in 1990, with Jack and Sharon about 34, Emily 8, and Ricky 4, almost 5.

 **Chapter Four**

 **1990**

 _"For one so small, you seem so strong._ _"_

* * *

" _The Little Mermaid_!" Emily answered her mother's questions enthusiastically. She wanted her birthday party to be The Little Mermaid themed.

Sharon laughed a little, scribbling her signature across the line at the bottom of a permission slip Emily had given her. She handed it back to her daughter, who tucked it away in her bag, along with her completed homework.

It was a good day; Sharon hadn't been called into work and was enjoying the day with her kids. She kept Ricky home from daycare, spending the morning and afternoon outside. She worked in her garden, pulling at the weeds, while Ricky "helped" by digging holes in the yard with his toy shovel. They'd cleaned up in time to get Emily. After they'd picked her up, they got some ice cream and played at the park until dinner.

"Do you think Ricky will be okay with that?"

Emily huffed a little, her arms resting on the table. "Why do I have to share a birthday party with Ricky?"

"I've already explained why, Emily."

When you have two children who's birthdays are less than two weeks apart, you could get away with one party. Also, with her long and unpredictable hours, she wasn't sure she'd be able to get two afternoons off so close together. Birthday parties were expensive as well, and she was doing her best to save wherever she could. Whatever Jack was doing, wherever he was, he was spending the money from their joint checking account like it was nothing, like she wasn't trying to provide for two children.

She'd only heard from him once since he left- when he called Emily on her birthday the previous week. They had only talked for a moment, just long enough for her to tell him the date and time of the kids' party before he had to go.

With each day that went by, she felt her feelings for Jack shifting. It was different this time; the last time he left, she'd missed him. Now, she didn't miss him as much as she missed her children having a father. It'd gotten to the point where she didn't notice the emptiness in their bed. She _liked_ all the extra room she had.

What she did miss, was the way Emily smiled brightly up at her father. She missed the laugh that came some easily from Ricky when Jack wrestled around with him, when Jack tossed him in the air like weighed absolutely nothing. Of course, that always scared the heck out of her, but it made Ricky laugh. She couldn't do that for him, he was too big for her. She couldn't take the place of Jack in Emily's eyes.

"Can we do half _Little Mermaid_ and half whatever Ricky wants?"

Sharon smiled. "That sounds fair to me."

She sent Emily off to play with her brother as she stood to begin cleaning up the kitchen from dinner. She scrapped the plates and placed the leftover food in tupperware containers, before playing the empty pots and pans into the sink. She lathered up her sponge and scrubbed at the dishes, sitting them aside to dry after they were clean. Just as she was turning the faucet off, her phone rang.

* * *

"Come on, guys." Sharon yelled from her bedroom, pulling fastening the button of her pants. She grabbed her blazer from the end of the bed, shrugging it on and then padding out of her room in her bare feet. "A couple toys or books in a bag and then wait for me in the living room."

Emily came rushing from her room first, her ballet bag filled to the brim with toys, coloring books, crayons, and God knows what else. She ran by Sharon and then down the stairs. Sharon shook her head a little, smiling as she stepped into Ricky's room. Her son was in the middle of his bedroom, naked except for his underwear and standing in a pile of his toys.

"Ricky." She sighed a little. "Mommy needs to go to work. Pick some toys and then we need to put come clothes on."

The boy huffed and looked up at her. "I want to stay home."

She ran a hand through her hair and walked over to his dresser, pulling out some pajamas to put on him. She wasn't sure how long she'd be at work, at least maybe if Ricky was in some pajamas he'd fall asleep. When she turned back to look at him, he hadn't moved to pick up any of his toys. She kneeled down beside him and helped him into his pajamas, ignoring his little glares.

"Okay, Ricky, pick out a couple toys." She told him, picking up his bag.

He didn't budge.

"Ricky."

Nothing but a glare.

"If you don't pick something in the next three seconds, I'm picking for you."

Ricky shook his head, crossing his arms across his chest.

"1..."

His little glare intensified, but he didn't move.

"2..."

"Stop!" He yelled. Both of her kids really hated it when she counted to three. His face was turning red and Sharon could see the tantrum coming on.

"3." She said sternly, bending down to pick up a couple random toys. She threw them into the bag as Ricky started screaming, fat tears rolling down his cheeks as he stomped his feet.

She sighed, angrily throwing an extra pair of clothes and underwear for him into the bag. She grabbed a few pull-ups too- just in case. As she zipped up the bag, she looked at him, now sitting on the floor, screaming and kicking his legs.

"Ricky, stop it." She warned in her sternest voice.

When he ignored her, she pulled the bag up on her shoulder and bent down to pick up the screaming boy. He struggled in her arms, making it even more difficult to hold onto him. He was getting too big for her to carry and his thrashing around didn't help. She somehow made it down the stairs with him without slipping and killing them both. She mentally cursed, she really thought they were past the tantrum age.

She sat him down on the couch, grabbing his shoes as she did. She wrestled the little boy into his sneakers, narrowly avoiding being kicked in the face before she'd had enough.

"Ricky, if you don't stop this right now you will stand in time out the whole time you're at the office!" She wasn't yelling really, but her voice had gotten slightly louder and a hell of a lot more frightening.

His cries dissolved from the angry tears, to pitiful little whimpers. He stopped kicking his legs, reaching up to wipe at his eyes with his little fists instead. He was saying something she couldn't understand, his voice thick and jumbled with tears.

She placed her hand son his little knees, waiting for him to calm down. He continued to cry softly, taking in sharp, ragged breaths.

"Ricky, I need you to calm down, can you do that?"

Ricky sniffled, wiping at his eyes and trying to calm down his breathing. Once he had it mostly under control, he looked at his mother with big, tear-filled eyes.

"No more tantrums like this, do you understand?" When Ricky nodded, she went on. "I want you to say you're sorry."

Ricky leaned forward, wrapping his arms around his mother's neck. "Sorry, Mommy."

His breathing was still ragged and his little body was still shaking from his tantrum. She held him close, rubbing his back and then pressing a kiss to the top of his head. "I know, baby." She murmured. "It's okay."

She turned quite a few heads as she walked into the precinct. She ignored the confused looks and nosey staring as she led Emily to the conference room with a clingy Ricky on her hip. The room was empty, luckily. She sat Ricky down in one of the chair's and then sat his bag on top of the table, pulling his toys out for him. Emily was already seated next to her brother, pulling her own toys from her bag.

"I'll be right outside this room, okay?" She told them.

Emily nodded but Ricky turned in his seat, reaching for her. "I wanna stay with you."

She leaned down and pressed a kiss to his forehead. "No, baby, I'm sorry. Stay here with your sister."

She was bracing herself for another fit, but he only pouted before nodding. She smiled at him, giving him another kiss, this time on the top of his head. She leaned over and kissed Emily's hair too.

* * *

Sharon sat at her desk, looking over the paperwork she'd be given to look over. The team had been called out on an officer involved shooting and since her captain had allowed her to meet them at the precinct as opposed to taking her children to the crime scene, she was stuck with more paperwork than anyone else. Not that she minded; it was fair and she was thankful she didn't have to take her kids out to an active crime scene.

She rolled her eyes as she read Sergeant Flynn's name again. She didn't know how the man still had a badge considering the amount of times his name had crossed her desk, and the size of his file which was growing larger every day. It didn't help that the guy was a complete ass every time she spoke with him. Luckily for her, her captain usually dealt with Flynn; because when she handled him, it usually ended in angry departures or a yelling match. In fact, Flynn was currently in her captains office now, going over the details of his shooting.

"Raydor." Came the voice of one of the other detectives, pulling her from her thoughts. She looked up as the man nodded toward the conferene room behind her. She turned her head to find Emily standing in the doorway of the room.

"Everything okay, Em?"

"I'm hungry. Can I go get a snack?"

Sharon looked down at her watch. It was after eleven and normally by now, her kids would be fast asleep. She thanked God that it was Friday and Emily didn't have to get up for school in the morning. Any other time, she wouldn't let them eat some unhealthy snack from the breakroom's vending machine at this hour, but both of her children had been so well-behaved sine they arrived at the office almost four hours ago.

"Sure." She said, reaching down to get her purse. She opened up her wallet and pulled a dollar out. "Does Ricky want something too?"

Emily shook her head, taking the dollar her mother offered her. "He's asleep."

Sharon nodded. At least one of them was getting some sleep. "The breakroom is-"

"I know where it is, mommy." She interrupted, turning to walk down the hall. Sharon watched as she walked through the long hallway, turning at the end of it. She breakroom was right around that corner. If they hadn't been in a building full of police officers, she wouldn't have let her go by herself.

She sat her purse down and turned back toward her desk, picking her pen back up and reaching for another piece of paperwork.

* * *

Emily looked over the options before her, her eyes scanning the rows of snacks. She couldn't decide what she wanted. Her mom would be happy with her if she got the fruit snacks, but she _really_ wanted the cookies. She thought about it for another moment before deciding on the cookies; she'd get fruit snacks next time.

She put her dollar in the machine and then pressed the button for the cookies. The spinny thing holding onto the cookies started to spin and her cookies were almost free. She could practically taste the chocolate with the spinny thing stopped and her cookies froze in their spot.

Her mouth dropped open. She pressed the coin return button, but nothing. The machine kept her cookies _and_ her money!

* * *

Andy was fuming as he made his way down the hallway toward the breakroom. He needed a damn coffee. The captain had told him that he needed to go over his statement again before he could clear him. It was absolute bullshit; everyone knew that he wasn't at fault.

But the cockroaches in IA liked to make his life hell.

So, he really needed a coffee. A drink would've been nice, but it'd been sixth months since he had one and he didn't plan on letting the jerks in IA get to him enough that he'd throw that away.

When he rounded the corner and took a step into the breakroom, his brow furrowed in confusion at the sight in front of him.

There was a little girl, maybe seven or eight, with her arm shoved up inside the vending machine.

Since when did FID have unattended children running around their office?

"Kid?" He said as he approached.

The girl jumped, yanking her arm back and turning to look at him.

Andy's breath caught in his throat. The girl had long dark hair and her brown eyes were wide as she looked up at him. She looked a lot like Nicole.

He cleared his throat a little before he spoke again. "What are you doing here?"

"Getting a snack."

"No, I mean…what are you doing here? At the police station?"

"My mommy works here." The girl said with a smile. "She's a police officer."

Andy couldn't help but grin at the pride in the little girl's voice. The girl's eyes drifted back the vending machine. "What were you doing with your arm in there?"

"My cookies are stuck." She said, pointing up to the chocolate chip cookies hanging from the top shelf of the vending machine.

"Want some help?"

She nodded and looked at him skeptically, as if she didn't believe he could get the cookies for her.

He took a step closer to the vending machine, telling her to step back as he did. When the girl was a few feet away, he put his hands on either side of the machine and shook it as hard as he could, smiling triumphantly when the cookies fell.

Andy straightened up the machine before bending down and retrieving the cookies.

The girl smiled brightly at him when he offered them to her. "Thank you!" She exclaimed, taking the cookies from him.

* * *

Sharon glanced down the hallway again, sitting her pen down when she found it empty. It was taking Emily way too long to pick out her snack and she wouldn't be able to focus properly until she was back. She pushed back from her desk and stood.

She gently pushed the door of the conference room open and peeked inside. Ricky was cuddled up in a chair with his stuffed teddy bear clutched to his chest. There was a blanket, one of Emily's she must've had in her bag, draped across him. She smiled at that, her children were really sweet, temper tantrums and all.

She stepped out of the room, closing the door silently behind her. She made her way down the hall and turned the corner. She stepped into the breakroom.

"Emily, what's taking so-"

She stopped when she saw the scene going on in front of her. Her daughter was sitting on a stool in front of the counter, eating a cookie and offering one to none other than the royal pain in FID's ass- Andy Flynn.

"Sergeant Flynn?"

Emily and Flynn both looked at her. Her daughter smiled brightly at her.

"Raydor?"

She ignored him, walking over to help her daughter down from the stool.

"Mommy, he helped me get my cookies!" Emily said as her mother led her to the door, shooing her out and back to the conference room.

"She's your kid?" She heard Flynn ask.

She turned back around, tugging her blazer down and crossing her arms over her chest. "Yes, she's my daughter. If that's any of your business."

He held up his hands defensively. "Sorry, just didn't know that witches could reproduce."

"Hm," She smirked. "Well, I'd love to stick around and chat with you, but I need to grab my broomstick and take my witchy offspring home. I'd offer you a ride but it seems like you'll be here for a while."

With that she turned away and left the room, leaving him speechless, still holding one of little Raydor's chocolate chip cookies in his hand.

* * *

Before she knew it, a week had gone by and it was the day of the kids' birthday party.

They asked her numerous times and she told them every time that she didn't think he would make it. But they were completely convinced, they had so much faith in their father- they really thought he'd show up to the party.

But he didn't.

They'd been happy through the party, playing with their friends and eating way too much birthday cake. They both ran around the backyard, the opened gifts, they talked with their grandparents.

But when the party was over and it was clear he wasn't coming, when the excitement of the party died down and there was nothing left to distract them, they were devastated.

Normally after a party like that one, she would've spent hours cleaning up, making the place as clean as it had been before children had ripped through her home, leaving crumbs and fingerprints as they went.

But instead, she cuddled up with her children on the couch. Somehow they both managed to fit on her lap, each of them resting their head on one of her shoulders. She held her babies close as they cried, not understanding why their father never showed up.

They didn't understand what was going on and her heart broke for them.

On what should have been a fun, carefree occasion, her children were crying themselves to sleep.

The next morning before work, she drove down to the courthouse and filed for legal separation.

* * *

 **Just want to thank Kaity for all her help! Let me know what you guys thought! The chapter jumped around a bit, but I had to add some Andy into this story finally.**


	5. 1997

**Where You're Supposed to Be**

 **AN** : A look at the relationship of Sharon and Jack, when it started to spiral. I'm making up the dates, since we don't really have definite ages for everyone. This chapter takes place in 1997, with Jack and Sharon about 41, Emily 15, and Ricky 11, almost 12.

 **Chapter Five**

 **1997**

* * *

Sharon smiled to herself as she placed the last plate from the dishwasher into the cabinet. Her team had finished up their work and they'd gotten to go home early. Even she got to go home early, which didn't always happen since she'd become Captain.

She'd spent the hours since, picking Ricky up from school and then cleaning the kitchen once they got home. She'd slacked off the last couple days and it really needed cleaning. She was hoping to have it finished by the time Emily got home from her ballet practice. They were getting their role announcements for the upcoming _Nutcracker_ show. She knew that if Emily was disappointment, she'd be spending the evening comforting her daughter and would have no chance to clean.

Just as she was about to take a seat, she heard the door shut and then the sound of her daughter's footsteps as she practically sprinted into the kitchen. Emily's face was red and she was out of breath as she smiled brightly at her mother.

Sharon couldn't help but return the excited smile. "Good news?"

Emily nodded quickly. "You're looking at this year's Sugar Plum Fairy!" She screamed.

"Oh my god!" Sharon exclaimed, pulling her daughter into a hug.

Emily laughed, hugging her mother tightly. "I can't believe this! I'm only fifteen!"

The production Emily was in was a local production where children usually performed from a young age, getting better and bigger roles as they got older and improved. Important roles, such as Clara or the Sugar Plum Fairy, were usually played by the most advanced dancers- the eighteen year old girls, hardly ever anyone as young as Emily.

Sharon laughed a little because she couldn't believe it either. "They obviously saw how talented you are!"

Emily pulled back, grinning at her mother. "I wonder where I got it from."

Sharon couldn't help back think back to the days of teaching her little girl how to dance, of they both in the middle of the living room, furniture pushed back and out of the way. Emily had been fascinated by her mother, the way she glided across the floor. Not long after watching her mother dance, she had decided that she wanted to dance too. Sharon signed her up for dance classes and the rest was history.

Sharon smiled brightly at her little girl, bringing her hands up to cradles her cheeks. "I'm so proud of you, Emily." She told her, pressing a kiss to her daughter's forehead.

* * *

"Mom!" Ricky's voice came from the living room, almost making her drop the tray of cookies that she was pulling from the oven. She and some of the other parents were preparing some baked goods for the kids after the show.

It was about a half hour before they needed to leave for the closing performance of the nutcracker. They had gone to the previous two shows too and Ricky was really getting tired of it. Sharon felt bad for making him go a third time, but it was so important that they were there for Emily. She was so proud of him for it too, how supportive he was, how he acted interested through the show even though she knew he couldn't care less.

At the end of each show, when Emily came out to take her bow, Ricky was the loudest voice in the audience. When Emily came running out to greet them after the show, Ricky was the first one to tell her how amazing she was.

She really had some amazing kids.

"In the kitchen!" She told him, sitting the tray of cookies down.

Ricky came into the kitchen, practically growling as he tugged at his tie. His hair was hanging in his eyes; he really needed a haircut but he didn't want one. She didn't know what that was about but she had just shrugged, it was his hair. It just couldn't get too long because of the school's dress-code.

She chuckled a little as she watched him struggle with his tie. "Having some trouble?"

"Yes," He huffed. "Why do I have to wear this stupid tie?"

"Because we have to dress up. You know that."

Ricky grumbled as he eventually fixed his tie and then looked up at his mother. "You girls have it easy. You just get to wear a dress and you're done."

Sharon rolled her eyes. "Oh, yeah, we have it easy." She said, remembering the time it took for her to her hair and make up. Sharon moved back over to the counter, picking up her spatula to move the cookies from the trays onto the cooling racks.

"I'm so glad this is the last show." Ricky grumbled, climbing up onto one of the stools and sitting on the other side of the counter, facing his mother.

She smiled a little sympathetically. "I know. But I'm really proud of you for being so supportive." He may groan and complain to her, but in front of Emily he was enthusiastic and excited for each show.

"Yeah, yeah." He huffed. "I don't ever want to see the nutcracker again."

She did feel a little guilty that she forced him to sit through the show three times. She'd have to let him pick where they went to dinner after the show. Until then, she scooped a cookie up with her spatula and offered it to him. "Cookie?"

He looked at the cookie and then back at her. "This is a guilt cookie."

Sharon shrugged a little, pushing it toward him. "So?"

He took the cookie and then reached over to snag another one from the tray. "I want two guilt cookies."

* * *

They walked into the theater as it was quickly filling up, it's attendance skyrocketing since it was the last show. Sharon's eyes scanned the room for seats as Ricky spoke up from where he stood next to her.

"Same seats or are we gonna switch it up a bit this time?"

She looked over at him, her little boy that was growing up so much every day. He was looking less and less like a boy, growing into a young man tall enough to reach her shoulders. When had that happened? What happened to the little boy that used to cuddle with her in bed?

"I mean, I've already seen the show twice from the middle of the fifth row. I would love to see how it looks from, I don't know, row eleven? Twelve?"

She rolled her eyes. Oh yeah, that's where he went- he was taken over by a sarcastic pre-teen.

"You'll sit where I tell you to sit." She told him as she moved through the crowd, leading him to the fifth row and into their seats from the previous two nights.

She sat down fixing the skirt of her dress across her knees before crossing her legs. She ran her fingers through her hair, mentally cursing the terrible wind as her hand got caught on a tangle.

She glanced around the theater again, there was still about ten minutes before the show started and there were already more people than there had been for the previous shows. She smiled a little; Emily would be so excited. She loved the crowds, the applause. She loved dancing for a large audience.

"Is that dad?" Ricky asked, pulling her from her thoughts.

She turned her head to look at Ricky. "What?"

Ricky nodded toward the doors of the auditorium where Jack was standing, a program and a bouquet of flowers in his hands as he surveyed the crowd, looking for seats.

Sharon couldn't help but be a little speechless. She'd called him and left a message about Emily's performances, but she hadn't thought he would show up. "Yeah…um, why don't you wave him over?" She found herself saying before she could stop herself.

She has her feelings toward Jack, has so many problems with him- too many to name, really, but she couldn't punish him for those at that time, not when he was actually there for their daughter.

Ricky waved his arm until Jack's eyes landed on them. Sharon watched as Jack made his way through the crowd. She hadn't seen him in person in over a year. He'd gained weight, she'd noticed. And his hair was graying.

She was happy that he was there for their daughter, but she couldn't help the small amount of happiness she got from the fact that, despite the fact that she was only a few months older than her, he looked _years_ older.

He walked down the row of seats to settle into the seat next to Ricky. Sharon watched as he spoke to his son, smiling and joking around. Typical Jack. He leaned forward in his chair to look around Ricky and give her a smile.

She smiled back, a small little thing. "Hi, Jack."

* * *

Sharon cheered, smiling brightly as she stood from her seat. She couldn't help the bride welling up in her chest as the crowd cheered loudly for her daughter as she took her bow. She could hear Ricky and Jack cheering too.

Emily looked directly at them, knowing where they'd be. Sharon watched the surprise cross her face as she spotted her father in the crowd. She waved excitedly at him as she took her spot on the other side of the stage.

The other kids finished taking their bows and the curtains closed and the lights came on. Sharon stood, straightening out her dress as Ricky chatted away to his father about something. Jack gave Ricky his full attention until Ricky took off in search of his sister.

Jack turned to her. "Our little girl sure has some talent, doesn't she?"

It took every ounce of self-control she had not to roll her eyes at this man, the man she used to love but could barely stand to speak to anymore. She didn't know why that statement irritated her so much. They were his children too. Biologically, anyway.

She was thankful for her years on the force that taught her how to school her features. "She is."

His hands were in his pockets, smiling a little. "You must be proud of her, picking up your love of dancing and all."

She raised an eyebrow. "I am proud of her, would be even if I didn't love ballet as much as I do."

"I know that. That's not what I meant." He said quickly.

She nodded a little, her eyes wandering from him to the crowd behind him, looking for their kids. She didn't see them yet, Emily was probably still backstage with her friends.

"You look good." He said, pulling her attention back to him.

"Thank you." She said after a moment, smoothing her hands down her dress.

Jack opened his mouth to say something else when Emily's voice rang out behind them.

"Dad!" She said loudly, rushing over to them with Ricky trailing behind her. Her tutu bounced as she approached, her smile bright. "I didn't think you'd come?"

"And miss your big show?!" He enthused as Emily hugged him. "You were amazing, sweetie!"

Emily pulled back and smiled up at him. "You really liked it?"

"I loved it!"

Sharon smiled a little, couldn't help it really. As many problems as she had with that man, as much pain as he had caused her- she couldn't stay angry when her daughter was smiling like that.

* * *

 **A different side of Jack this time. :)**


End file.
